"Everyone else just sat down there and drunk their beer and looked at him and giggled at him," the woman said, starting to cry. "They just would laugh at him when he walked down with his Muslim clothes. . . . He was mistreated. He didn't have nobody. He was all alone. He went to his apartment there and was all alone." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33766545/ns/us_news-washington_post/
The pervasive racism toward Muslims in the military is obviously at the heart of why Nidal Malik Hasan went to the breaking point. This is all too familiar as we have seen with the kids at Columbine.
"In mid-August, just a few weeks after moving to Killeen, Hasan had a run-in with a soldier living in apartment No. 12. One night after he had been drinking, John Van de Walker scraped a key along the full length of the passenger's side of Hasan's car. Then he removed and destroyed a bumper sticker that read, 'Allah is Love,' according to several residents, including live-in managers John and Alice Thompson."
The U.S. military has a long standing policy of racism toward the peoples of countries we are "at war with" (See http://current.com/items/90486086_the-u-s-military-has-a-racist-genocidal-policy-toward-all-hodgies.htm). It is standard procedure to dehumanize these foreign populations so that soldiers can more easily deal with the rampant death of innocent people that they see in war. I use the term racism loosely here as it actually applies to the Muslim religion. But few make the distinction between the Muslim religion and Arab ethnicity.
Hasan was known to his comrades in his apartment complex as "number 9", a reference to his apartment number. Many are calling him a terrorist because he is a Muslim, and in the context of the wars against Muslim nations that we are engaged in. Has Tim McVeigh ever been called a terrorist? Perhaps. But that hasn't given white middle-state Americans the stigma of terrorism.
I think Hasan has a lot more in common with Timothy McVeigh than he does with Muslim terrorists in Afghanistan. They are (or were) both U.S. military members who were disgruntled enough with the military to retaliate and kill innocent victims.
Every religion has the concept that people should not kill. We don't know for sure and probably never will, but in addition to be driven to the brink by the incessant tormenting he suffered, I believe it was this devotion to his religion that may have lead him to open fire upon deploying troops to an unjust war that dehumanizes and kills the innocent as a matter of policy. But that is purely my conjecture in trying to explain the unexplainable.
Killing is not justified in civilian life or even in war when the innocent die. But this may help to explain what happened, why it happened, how it might have been prevented, and could be prevented in the future.
The BBC reports that Hasan had long wanted to leave the military due to suffering harassment because of his religion, and that many Muslims in the U.S. military suffer harassment and this shooting has raised fears among them. The reports states the following:
________________________________________
According to the Pentagon, there are 3,572 Muslims in active service. However, some Muslims in the military say the real number is as high as 20,000.
The US government has made no secret of the fact that it would like to see more people from Arab and Muslim communities joining the armed forces.
More American Muslim troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan has long been seen as a vital part in helping the US in its missions to win hearts and minds in those countries.
"They are a great asset to the army," Lt Col Nathan Banks, army spokesman for the Pentagon, told the BBC.
"When they do deploy they help facilitate a lot of our missions. American Muslims in the army work hand in hand with local Muslims, and we welcome that."
He said the army did not foresee heightened tensions within its ranks as a result of Fort Hood.
_______________________________________
Meanwhile tensions have risen sharply around the country, as we see on internet posts like this one, where many accuse Hasan of being a terrorist, sympathetic to the Muslims we fight against. This BBC article also reports that Muslims in the U.S. military now have a growing fear of harassment as a result. It's obviously very hard for people to distinguish between Muslims in general (including those in our own military) and the Muslims we fight as members of the Taliban or Al Qaeda.
No Place Like Home - New film exposes reality of zoo life
July 2009
No Place Like Home is the brand new film from CAPS exposing conditions in UK zoos and explaining why they should be phased out.
Zoos in the UK are often seen as amongst the ‘best’ in the world but as our exposé reveals, animals are still lingering in miserable conditions, all so people can enjoy a day out.
Filmed over the past two years in zoos across the UK, including safari parks and aquaria, No Place Like Home updates our 2000 production Sad Eyes and Empty Lives, which we still receive requests from campaigners, schools and colleges across the country and overseas every week. Both films are the only ones to look specifically at the state of UK zoos.
A gorilla repeatedly regurgitating food and eating itNarrated by CAPS patron Sally Banks, wife of the late Tony Banks MP, the new video looks at issues of conservation and education and reveals shocking conditions in zoos, including:
* A gorilla repeatedly regurgitating food and eating it
* Numerous cases of stereotypic behaviours such as big cats pacing, elephants weaving and reptiles pushing against glass
* Small enclosures restricting movement and offering no stimulation
Stereotypic behaviours, a sign of frustration, boredom and stress, appeared so common that we only had time to include a small sample in the film.
In several zoos animals continue to be used as circus performers - sealions balancing balls, elephants and parrots performing tricks.
The zoos featured in the film were not selected because of any particularly bad record of animal care. Many are classed as the ‘best’ zoos in the country.
The film compares footage of captive animals to some amazing scenes of animals living naturally in the wild. It encourages people to explore the wildlife in their own area as well as support conservation projects protecting and restoring natural habitats.
Interviews are included with Professor Marc Bekoff, a leading authority on animal behaviour and a patron of CAPS, our scientific consultant David Spratt and two CAPS supporters.
The film includes unreleased tracks from the American musician Moby, a supporter of animal rights campaigns.No Place Like Home - New film exposes reality of zoo life
July 2009
No Place Like... more
Sixteen-year-old Deng Senshan was tragically beaten to death by three of his instructors in an internet addiction camp in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Reportedly it was for not being able to run fast enough. An article in the Wall Street Journal says that, 'China's netizens have played a key role in drawing nationwide attention to recent cases of deaths in prisons and detention centers, so it should be no surprise that they are up in arms over the fate of one of their own. Many questioned the fairly new diagnosis of "Internet addiction" as a mental disorder.' You may recall electroshock treatment being banned from use on internet addicts in China. According to Xinhua, more than 100 juveniles remain in 'treatment' at the camp, which has stayed open. Perhaps for Senshan it would have been better to let him endure his cruel affliction instead of having his parents pay over $1,000 to have him beaten to death?Sixteen-year-old Deng Senshan was tragically beaten to death by three of his... more
China drafted its first animal protection law this week, but that hasn't stopped Chinese pet owners. The latest fad in the country is a multi-coloured fur job.
Under the proposed law, anyone guilty of animal cruelty can be fined and spend two weeks in prison. It also makes implanted data chips compulsory for pets so their owners can be tracked down if they're abandoned.
Are these dye jobs cruel? Or just good fun?China drafted its first animal protection law this week, but that hasn't stopped... more
"Why do we inflict pain for no gain? On the face of it, it is rather a perverse way of going about things. Does spitefulness stem from an affronted sense of fairness? Or something altogether darker: envy, lust for revenge - or perhaps even pure sadism?
It might be all those things. Economists, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists have been teasing out how, used judiciously, spiteful behaviour can be one of our best weapons in maintaining a fair and ordered society. But intentions that are noble in one situation can be malicious in another - making spite a weapon that can all too easily backfire.
Human spite is a complex affair. It is not pure selfishness in the Darwinian sense, like a stag that picks a fight with another. Though it might be gored in the process, the stag is actually acting in its own best interests. If it ends up with more mates, then the chances of passing on its genes are increased, an evolutionary prize worth fighting for.
Nor is spite as we practise it true spite in the biologist's sense. That would involve diminishing our own evolutionary fitness just so we can lower that of some unrelated individual. That behaviour exists, but it is hard to come by, says Stuart West, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oxford. There is a particular type of parasitic wasp, for example, some of whose larvae do not develop into adults capable of reproduction, but instead kill unrelated larvae of the same species, freeing up resources for their siblings. And in several types of bacteria, spiteful cells produce chemicals that kill both themselves and other members of their kind, unless they carry a genetic marker of relatedness to the suicidal individual. That makes microbes the kings of true spite, says West.
Human spite is something altogether subtler. Psychological motivations and social contexts influence our course of action. That requires a very special set of circumstances and skills, says Marc Hauser, a biologist at Harvard University. First, it needs a stable social grouping in which unrelated individuals interact regularly, and in which costs incurred retain relevance. What's more, you must also be able to spot when you're getting a raw deal, identify the guilty party, and be willing to do something about it.
That requires what Hauser has dubbed "floodlight" intelligence - the ability to see the big picture and combine many cognitive inputs over time. That, he suggests, might make both spite and reciprocity - the doing and returning of favours - uniquely human qualities. The "laser-beam" intelligence of most animals might be superb at solving individual problems, but it is simply not good enough at generalising experience to develop such complex behaviours ""Why do we inflict pain for no gain? On the face of it, it is rather a perverse way of... more
Outrage to the witnessed culling of all Egypt's pigs in attempt to prevent pig flu in the country!!
Disgusting methods used against the pigs to torture and slowly kill them has caused some public upset!
Personally I don't understand how this method for killing has not been stopped and is clearly evil!!!Outrage to the witnessed culling of all Egypt's pigs in attempt to prevent pig flu in... more
Donny Moss doesn’t mince words: He wants to see the carriage horses that haul funnelcake-fortified tourists around New York’s Central Park gone for good. To that end, this Gotham-based comedian has created BLINDERS, a documentary that captures the abuses these hardworking creatures undergo, and lays out the reasons that many animal advocates believe the only humane solution to the problem is to see this service ended. Having witnessed the Disneyfication of Times Square and the flight of the middle class from Manhattan isle, I’m sort of reluctant to let go of another bit of classic, New York character, and I brought some of that reluctance to the table when I sat down with Donny. As the man makes clear, the titular blinders are not only those that keep the horses from seeing the chaos that surrounds them, but also the ones that allow romantic dudes such as me to cling to a tourist board fantasy despite the all-too-painful truth.Donny Moss doesn’t mince words: He wants to see the carriage horses that haul... more
An e-mail sent out by UCSD this week mistakenly invited everyone who had applied to the La Jolla campus to an orientation – even those whose applications had been rejected.
“We're thrilled that you've been admitted to UC San Diego, and we're showcasing our beautiful campus on Admit Day,” said the e-mail sent around 5 p.m. Monday.
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Within two hours, the university sent out another blanket e-mail, this one an apology. In her letter, Brown said she understands “the level of distress” the mistake may have caused students.
“In all humility, I ask that you please accept my apologies and those of the University of California, San Diego . . . and know that we continue to wish you success in your educational pursuits,” Brown wrote.An e-mail sent out by UCSD this week mistakenly invited everyone who had applied to... more
This is a video of what is being done to helpless PUPPIES & DOGS! This is an outrage! Humans created the animal 'problem' & need to develop another method to correct this issue.
Baghdad authorities launch a controversial campaign to kill street dogs. CNN's Arwa Damon reports. (Viewer discretion)
The story:
The shotgun blast rips into the stray dog's midsection, sending it tumbling over and over. Agonizing yelps echo through the streets as it tries to reach and bite at the gaping wound. Minutes later, the dog is dead.
A few miles away, a puppy eats a piece of poisoned meat. Its body starts to twitch and spasm as the toxins kick in. It dies within 15 minutes.
The two strays were among the thousands that roam the streets of Baghdad. Authorities have been killing them since November, trying to prevent the spread of disease and attacks on residents.NO MORE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENCE!
This is a video of what is being done to... more
If you're typing on a keyboard made by Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, HP or IBM, you probably don't realize the awful working conditions the Chinese had while manufacturing it.
This cruelty and utter incompetence in management is unacceptable. Read on to see just how inhumane the conditions are.
And DO something about it if it disturbs you as much as it should! You, as a consumer have a choice when purchasing electronics. Don't just go for the cheapest. There's a reason why it's so cheap. It comes at the cost of human dignity, and human rights.If you're typing on a keyboard made by Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, HP or IBM, you... more
Please help to end all animal torture - including cats, dogs, seals, horses and any other living creature - tortured for profit. From the conditions in which they are kept to the way they are skinned, processed or dismembered and the slow way they die, it's unconscionable. Skinning alive is one of the highest forms of torture, cutting off legs from horses while they are alive also takes place, including stabbing repeatedly in to the spinal cord to paralyse them, animal vivisection and all other forms of torture.Please help to end all animal torture - including cats, dogs, seals, horses and any... more
From September next year, it will be possible to gain a BA in "abuse studies" from Manchester Metropolitan University. The course leader acknowledges that the title was contentious but says that "dealing with the most important issues in society is always challenging."
The course will study cruelty involving children, women and vulnerable groups. The case of Baby P will be studied.From September next year, it will be possible to gain a BA in "abuse studies" from... more
A mother has told an inquest how she accidentally flushed her baby down a toilet before hiding his body in her car boot.
Claire Jones became pregnant after an affair with a work colleague but hid her condition from friends and family.
She said did not realise she had given birth to son Daniel until she flushed the toilet at her partner's parents home in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan.
Ms Jones tried to revive him but panicked. The hearing is continuing.
Ms Jones, of Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, told the hearing she did not reveal her pregnancy, telling friends and family, including David Stoneman, her partner of 11 years, that a wheat allergy had caused a hard mass to form in her stomach. I wish I had done something more, but I just panicked. I miss him every day
But on 28 December last year, a week after her due date, she experience pains which she put down to diarrhoea. She told the inquest: While I was still on the toilet, I flushed it, and I felt something pull. I stood up slightly, and I could see a foot in the bowl of the toilet. Cardiff Coroner Mary Hassell asked Ms Jones if she realised she had given birth. Ms Jones replied: 'no'. She said the baby was underneath the water covered in toilet paper. Ms Jones broke down as she said: 'I could see the baby's foot, so I pulled the baby out.'
'I sat by the toilet. I put him on my lap. He wasn't crying. I was trying to feel for a pulse and there was nothing; Mr Jones was asked why she did not call for help. She said; 'Because nobody knew I was pregnant. Because he wasn't breathing, I just panicked. I didn't know what to do.'
She said she tried to revive him by blowing into his mouth and massaging his heart.
She said: 'I just kept trying and trying, and it wasn't working. There was nothing I could do. He was blue. I wrapped him in a towel. I don't remember how, but I must have put him in the boot of the car.' The inquest heard Ms Jones was arrested 10 days later at the home in St Mellons, Cardiff, she shared with Mr Stoneman and Daniel's body was found in her Vauxhall Astra car.A mother has told an inquest how she accidentally flushed her baby down a toilet... more
A federal judge in Washington ordered the release of five men U.S. forces took from Bosnia to Guantanamo Bay in 2002, ruling that the Bush administration relied on insufficient evidence to imprison them indefinitely as "enemy combatants."
At this rate the US will need to find a new place to illegally imprison and torture the 250 inmates left at gitmo until they die.
Read details at link!!!Guantanamo just can't catch a break these days.
A federal judge in Washington... more
Remember that asshole who tied a stray dog up in an art gallery and starved it to death?
His name is Guillermo Vargas Habacuc and his "art" is up for an award and he's planning to repeat the crime this year.
The prestigious Visual Arts Biennial of Central America decided that the act of cruelty WAS actually art, so Guillermo Vargas Habacuc has been honored for the Biennial of 2008.
There is a petition above at the link.Remember that asshole who tied a stray dog up in an art gallery and starved it to... more
The video pretty much speaks for itself. When you're watching it try and remember that this is essentially NO DIFFERENT than how many cows, chickens, and pigs are slaughtered everyday. They are kept in a small cage all of their life, tortured and filled with fear, forcefully removed from their cage, tied up (often mechanically) and have their throat slit and are then often electrocuted, beaten or boiled alive. These people are no more morally responsible than you are if you have ever eaten a hamburger, chicken breast or slice of bacon. For them, it is culturally normal, as it is a norm here to eat beef. There is no difference except that many people in the US are friends with dogs and define them as family members. But it is important not to overlook that chickens, cows and pigs are also capable of developing the same kinds of loving relationships with humans as dogs are. If you wouldn't do this to your dog, why do you purchase and eat meat? What is the difference?The video pretty much speaks for itself. When you're watching it try and remember... more
A devout Muslim who was found guilty of child cruelty after forcing two boys to beat themselves during a religious ceremony is due to be sentenced today.
Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, was found guilty of two counts of child cruelty in a British legal first last month.
The boys, aged 13 and 15, were forced to beat themselves with a zanjeer zani, an implement containing five curved blades, during a ceremony to commemorate the death of a Shia Muslim spiritual leader.
The boys both received multiple lacerations to their backs, mainly superficial, with several deeper cuts.
Zaidi, of Station Road, Eccles, Salford, also flogged himself during the ceremony at a community centre in Levenshulme, Manchester, on January 19.
The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted they wanted to beat themselves, but not under duress and not using Zaidi's zanjeer zani.
Both boys also admitted they had flogged themselves with a smaller zanjeer zani from the age of six in Pakistan.
A 14-year-old boy, who was 13 at the time, said Zaidi told them both: "Start doing it, start doing it."
He told the jury: "We said 'we don't want to do it'."
The boy said he saw Zaidi flogging himself with the zanjeer zani before washing his blood from it and handing it to the 15-year-old boy.
He said Zaidi "kept pressuring him" and "make him do the knife thing".
A 20-minute film of the traditional Ashura ceremony, broadcast on satellite television, showed Zaidi flagellating himself until his back was bloody and cut.
Participants at the men-only event flogged themselves, while others chanted the name Husayn and beat their chests. Many cried openly.
The Ashura ceremony takes place during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, and commemorates the death of Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and a central figure in the Shia faith.
Zaidi, a warehouse supervisor, admitted he asked the boys if they wanted to beat themselves and that he allowed them to use his zanjeer zani.
The jury heard Zaidi attended a meeting two days before the ceremony, where it was made clear that under-16s were not permitted to flog themselves.
He will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court at 3pm today.
A devout Muslim who was found guilty of child cruelty after forcing two boys to beat... more
KHOU reports on an investigation into the deaths of eight dogs in an animal control officer's truck.
Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com#/video/us/2008/09/03/dnt.tx.dogs.die.lunch.khou#/video/us/2008/09/03/dnt.tx.dogs.die.lunch.khou#/video/us/2008/09/03/dnt.tx.dogs.die.lunch.khouKHOU reports on an investigation into the deaths of eight dogs in an animal control... more
Ever since 9/11 happened, people have been more and more racist against Iraqi citizens. Why? It's not their fault it happend, it was Osama Bin Laden; as far as I'm concerned, the U.S is holding a very large grudge against the innocent Iraqis. Just bring the soldiers home, and let the Iraqis live in the U.S! America: Land of the BRAVE? Yea, right. Our soldiers, I believe, are taking this too far...watch the vid!Ever since 9/11 happened, people have been more and more racist against Iraqi... more
